LOS ANGELES — The Academy Awards typically are a gloomy Sunday, ending with a heavy drama crowned as best picture. Yet there’s good news for this year’s exhilarating romp, ‘‘Little Miss Sunshine’’: Over the last decade, academy voters have lightened up and handed the top trophy to the occasional comic frolic rather than a big, tragic pageant. ...

HOLLYWOOD — Whatever flaws the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ voting system has — no matter how greatly the nominations might be influenced by massively financed advertising campaigns — most insiders agree that this year has provided an exceptionally fine vintage. Nowhere is that clearer than in the four acting categories, where knowns and unknowns, Americans and foreigners, Caucasians and minorities are all competing in an astonishingly diverse and talented pool. And in choosing these nominees, the Academy has shown a willingness to look beyond celebrity...

Not that looking back is necessary for predicting this year’s winner. Martin Scorsese should finally capture the prize that has eluded him for decades, despite having been nominated for such classics as ‘‘Raging Bull’’ and ‘‘Goodfellas.’’ ...

GLENDALE, Calif. — A cocky race car that learns the wisdom of slowing down won the race for best animated feature Sunday at the 34th annual Annie Awards, honoring achievements in feature film and television animation. ‘‘Cars,’’ from The Walt Disney Co. and Pixar Animation Studios, defeated a crowd of contenders that included ‘‘Happy Feet’’ from Warner Bros., ‘‘Over the Hedge,’’ from DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc., ‘‘Monster House’’ from Sony Pictures, a division of Sony Corp., and ‘‘Open Season,’’ also from Sony Pictures. ...